4G iPhone: Gizmodo accused of paying for stolen goods

Apr 20 2010, 09:31 by
by Stevie Smith -

Hot stuff. Image: Gizmodo/Gawker Media.

The ugly truth will out. Revealed via an instant message to the New York Times, Nick Denton, CEO of new media publisher Gawker, has said tech blog Gizmodo paid $5,000 USD to an unnamed party to obtain the mysterious fourth-gen iPhone prototype that yesterday set the Internet aflame.

Padding out the storyís what, where and how, Gizmodo has also said the handset was retrieved from German speciality establishment the Gourmet Haus Staudt after butter-fingered Apple software engineer Gray Powell (a clear candidate for Most Unpopular Employee of the Month) had carelessly left it on his seat during a March 18 visit.

After investigating the handsetís features and functions, and enjoying more than a million hits from inquisitive Apple fans eager to steal a glimpse at the next iPhone, the tech blog claimed the device was equipped with a forward-facing camera, Micro-SIM capabilities, an improved display with higher resolution, a secondary mic for noise cancellation, and split buttons for volume.

Other standout aspects attributed to the handsetís aesthetic include a glass or ceramic rear plate to help boost cell signal performance, metallic power, mute and volume buttons, and a complete aluminium border.

In related news, Betanews journalist Joe Wilcox has called for Apple to launch a lawsuit against Gizmodo and parent company Gawker, which he claims have broken the law by paying to attain stolen property and for openly revealing trade secrets regarding a device not expected to hit retail until June.

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